Electrical Dilemma
by Aethelgythe
Summary: Now that Reed has built the machine, how will he pay his electric bill? My first Fantastic 4 fanfic! Please Read and Review! COMPLETED
1. Prolouge

Disclaimer: I do not own in any shape, form, or fashion the Fantastic Four.

Author's Note: This is my first Fantastic Four fan fiction story. I am open to friendly criticism as long as it is relevant to improving the story and/or is not flaming me. All reviews are appreciated!

Prologue

Reed Richards and Ben Grimm stood in the elevator with Susan Storm as they discussed the schedule concerning their trip into space to Victor Von Dooms' space station.

Reed Richards is a brilliant scientist that dedicates his work in helping and improving life on the planet. After learning that a radioactive space cloud of sorts caused the human adaptation changes over the past few thousand years, he discovered that another cloud containing the same DNA altering properties was about to bypass earth a second time.

After NASA rejected his idea of going up into space to conduct experiments when the cloud passed, he turned to the only other man powerful enough to get him there. Victor Von Doom, an extremely wealthy and power hungry man. He too was a scientist of sorts but mainly kept his main interest in the progression of his company. Victor made an extremely unfair deal with Richards and cheated Reed a lot of money for the space trip. He was going to have enough money to pay off debts on the building he owned, the Baxter Building where his lab was.

At least they were going and that was the only thing Reed cared about. This was an opportunity of a lifetime!

Little did the five know that the space trip would change their lives forever. The cosmic storm hit the station several hours too early. Victor Von Doom sealed himself behind the stations' shields while the other three tried to get Ben back in from outside. The end result of the storm hitting Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm, created the Fantastic Four.

They all received different abilities. Sue had the power of invisibility when highly emotional and could bend light around other objects creating blue force fields. Reed Richards could stretch himself like a rubber band. Johnny Storm combusted into flames and would eventually learn how to fly as well as shoot fireballs. Ben Grimm was transformed into a huge, orange, rock-like giant. The reason for Ben's major change was due to the fact that he had been directly hit by the storm outside of the station.

After a bridge accident, partly caused by Ben, the four DNA altered humans saved the occupants on the bridge from certain death. Ben saved a truck driver and a man about to commit suicide and pulled a fire truck back onto the bridge before it could plunge into the icy river below. Susan went invisible and walked through a crowd of onlookers and police and also put up a force field protecting everyone from an explosion caused by propane. Reed saved a fire fighter from falling off of the truck as it hung precariously over the bridge's edge. And Johnny shielded a little girl caught in the middle of the explosion. The onlookers proclaimed them heroes and dubbed them with the team name 'The Fantastic Four'.

Johnny ended up giving the team individual names. Susan was 'The Invisible Girl', Reed was 'Mr. Fantastic', Ben was 'The Thing', and Johnny himself was 'The Human Torch'. A big blowout followed after the other three watched the proceedings on television being broadcasted from a sports arena. They all found Johnny and confronted him. Ben, a little angry about the name that 'hothead' had given him, balled up Johnny's red sports car into a huge metallic ball. Of course this infuriated Johnny and the two were about to get into a major fight if it had not been for Sue that got between the two.

Reed wanted to find a way to turn them back to normal. After a visit from Victor Von Doom at the Baxter Building, Reed was told by Victor to pay his electric bill and get to work on finding a cure. The two seemed to always be at odds with one another, probably because of their attraction to Sue. They both blamed the other for what happened in space concerning the storm.

Reed has built a machine that can hopefully reverse the storm's effects and turn them back to normal. The machine itself uses an exponential amount of power, but unfortunately not enough to receive the desired effects.

Because of Reed's new project he was faced with a newfound problem. How was he to pay his electric bill now?

**Stay tuned for the answer! **


	2. Problem Solving

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fantastic Four. I believe they belong to Stan Lee and Marvel.

Authors Note: This is my first Fantastic Four fan fiction, so please go easy on me! Please read and review!

Chapter 1

"Just pay your damn electric bill and work on finding a cure!"

Victor Von Doom's menacing words still flittered around inside Reed's head. His confrontation with Victor occurred two weeks previously and he still kept thinking about it.

Reed was in his laboratory trying to think of ways to lower the electric bill. Maybe getting rid of unnecessary electrical appliances would lower the cost and ultimately save him some money on all the bills he still had to pay.

Because of his experiments with the simulated storm machine, it was sucking up more electricity than he wanted to think about. He was sitting at his desk pencil in hand and scribbling furiously.

"Let's see, we can get rid of the two extra radios, the satellite and resort to cable instead. Maybe get rid of that toaster oven…"

Ben came ambling around the corner and sat on a spare recliner made especially for him. He sat there watching Reed's concentrated expression before snapping his best friend out of his momentary haze.

"Whatcha doin buddy?"

"Brainstorming."

"I kind of figured genius," Ben smirked.

"Oh, well just making a list of electrical appliances to place in storage until we get all of the electric bills paid."

Ben snorted, "Yeah, maybe like another ten years from now. But yet again, we might just end up forgetting about it by then."

"You are so right! Good thinking Ben!"

"What did I do?" Ben looked absolutely bewildered.

"We can sell them instead and use the extra money for the bills!"

Sue entered just in time to hear Reed's latest exclamation. Unlike Ben, she knew what Reed was up to as far as the idea was concerned. She was the one that proposed it!

"I have another idea."

Ben and Reed turned in their seats to face her.

"Go for it."

"Sell the items but not like any ordinary garage sale. I say we all autograph them, that way we can make more money. I mean, just think about all the people that would pay big bucks just to see us in person!"

"That is a good idea."

The three sat down together and thought of as many necessities that they could live without. Right now they were debating over the toaster.

"I say we keep it! I like toast in the morning!"

"But out of the four of us you are the only one that eats toast on a regular basis! If you are desperate enough, you'll find another way to toast it," Sue argued.

"And how would I possibly do that?" Reed stubbornly insisted.

"You are the brainiac and the rocket scientist here! Figure it out!"

"It is not that simple!"

"Stop complicating things! Stick the stupid thing in the oven! It can't be that hard!"

Ben, although the odd one left out for the time being, always got a kick out of watching their arguments. Just seeing the two going at it was better than Saturday Night Live.

"You two sound like an old married couple!" Ben chuckled warmly. Apparently they hadn't heard him, or if they had they chose to ignore him. _That's because they know it's true_, Ben thought smugly.

Ben scanned the list to see what had accumulated since the argument began. So far the Fantastic Four was getting rid of two extra radios, the toaster oven, the satellite, the phone line (so they could only receive incoming calls), the electric razor, an extra lamp they didn't need, a curling iron, hair dryer, and now possibly the toaster.

Ben looked up and realized that the two had stopped fighting over the toaster and apparently made a compromise. From the sound of things, Reed would be having toast only three days out of the week. The other days, the toaster would stay unplugged.

"Hey, we could get rid of Johnny's playstation 2," Reed suggested.

"Oh you so did not say it!" Sue and Ben declared in unison, Sue turning a little pale and Ben looking a little sick.

"Johnny wouldn't hear of it!"

"Come on! Look at what _we _have sacrificed so far! The least he can do is give up his game console!"

As soon as the words had left Reed's mouth, Johnny came rushing into the lab. He had been in the kitchen making his lunch and watching TV in the living room. He wasn't at all interested in Reed's electric bill dilemma. Although when the other three's voices rose in intensity he decided to investigate in order to appease his curiosity. And unfortunately it was right when Reed suggested they get rid of his precious PS2!

"NO! You are SO not taking my PS2!"

"Come on Johnny, we need you to cooperate and help out! It is imperative that we lose all unnecessary electrical appliances in order to conserve electricity and ultimately decrease energy expenditure! You live here too and what is my problem, is your problem as well."

"You will not take my Playstation!" Johnny Storm was getting hotter as his anger rose.

He needed to cool down before he inevitably burst into flames. Losing his playstation was ONE thing, but destroying his brand new set of clothes he got the other day was something he absolutely would not be able to handle.

"You will not take my PS2. Don't even go near it!" Johnny angrily and stubbornly repeated before crossing his arms.

Later that night…

Reed and Ben were gathering up everything they had on the list for the garage sale. Reed, undaunted by Johnny's earlier threats about what he would do to him if he so much as laid on eye on his beloved game console, walked towards it nevertheless.

Johnny was being such a baby! Why didn't he just cooperate and realize that everything they were working for at the Baxter building depended on paying and keeping up with all of the electric bills? Their very lives could be at stake!

The last thing they needed was for the electric company or even Victor for that matter to completely cut off their electricity in the middle of his experiments with the machine! Reed was so close to making it work, he could feel it in his bones.

Reed was half-way across the living room and now only a few feet away from Johnny's Playstation.

"Hey man, I wouldn't go near it if I were you!" Ben warned from the couch where he was currently lounging and watching TV.

"Oh come on! Don't tell me that you are on his side!"

Then a sudden flurry dove past him knocking him off of his feet. Reed sat up in time to see Johnny run off with his PS2 looking to all of the world like a wild animal. Reed was a little taken aback and slightly disturbed at the crazed and insane look Johnny flashed back at him before reaching the safety of his bedroom down the hall, his Playstation clutched tightly to his chest.

Reed sighed. _Teenagers_!

Ben had been sitting on the sofa observing the entire thing. "I told you so."

"What?"

"Hey pal, I warned you not to mess with his Playstation. He takes it personal to the extreme! Messing around with it is like demolishing his car. And we all know how flame boy loves his ride."

"I suppose you have first hand experience," Reed grinned recollecting the day that Ben turned Johnny's car into a metallic ball.

Ben grimaced, also recollecting that incident. "Yes actually and believe me the consequences are not pretty."

Reed nodded thoughtfully before leaving. He was definitely locking his door tonight.

To be continued…


	3. Problem Solved

Disclaimer: I do not own Fantastic Four which belongs to Stan Lee and Marvel or Star Wars which belongs to George Lucas.

Authors' Note: I want to thank all of those that reviewed this story! Please continue to read and review. Your encouragement makes this possible. Thank you.

Chapter 2

It was now three days after the big blowout between Reed and Johnny concerning his PS2. Reed temporarily gave up until he thought of some way to persuade him to give it up. But Johnny claimed "to never be swayed or turned to the dark side" as Reed remembered him saying.

To Reed's delight, they accumulated a hefty quantity of appliances to autograph and sell. They all came to an agreement to simply autograph each object with their team name 'The Fantastic Four'.

Reed sat at the dinner table picking at his food. Surprisingly he didn't feel that hungry this evening. Now that he had a solution to the electrical dilemma concerning his bills, he kept feeling as though he had overlooked something. Surely this feeling of forgetfulness was not related to Johnny's game console. Then why couldn't he get his mind off of it? It was slowly driving him mad!

He took another bite of the spaghetti and meatballs that Sue had prepared for dinner. It was now ice cold! _Great. _His thoughts were momentarily interrupted when Sue spoke his very thought out loud.

"Since we've been jawing this entire time, my food is cold."

Susan got up to reheat her dinner in the microwave. Ben finished his food way before anyone else had and Johnny was looking mischievous. _Not a good thing when Johnny is concerned!_ Reed learned that the hard way. He became Johnny's new but temporary prank target right after the game issue. That was when Reed realized _why _Johnny had that look to begin with.

Johnny was apparently holding both hands under his plate trying to appear innocent as if nothing interesting was happening. Reed then noticed a few seconds after Johnny held the bottom of his plate in his hands that steam began to rise off of his now hot food. That was the answer! Reed mentally kicked himself for not thinking of it sooner.

He called a meeting right after dinner in the living room.

"Okay stretch. What is this about? I'm still not giving up my play station if that is what you were going to say!"

"Actually, I have a better idea in mind."

"Really?"

Now the other three were looking more confused than ever. Everyone automatically assumed that Reed was aiming for the PS2 again.

Reed was trying hard to hold back an all out grin. Oh, Johnny was in for a big surprise! Payback was imminent.

"I will get straight to the point. I propose that we lose the microwave."

"WHAT!" Ben, Susan, and Johnny exclaimed in disbelief.

"Sure, I mean we have other alternatives," he pointedly directed that statement at Johnny with a wide grin.

"Reed, you are talking crazy! We _need _the microwave to heat up food!"

"Actually, we don't."

A moment of silence followed as the others tried to figure out the meaning and method of Reed's madness.

Then Sue's face lit up as she 'got it', while Ben and Johnny sat in utter confusion.

"Reed, you can't be serious!"

"What? Serious about what?" Ben asked in puzzlement.

Sue gave him an 'it's so obvious' look and pointedly directed her eyes at Johnny for emphasis.

Ben's eyes lit up in understanding and he had to bite his tongue from howling with laughter.

Johnny was beginning to feel extremely irritated. He hated being the last one to figure something out. His irritation soon turned to a feeling of discomfort when everyone directed their full undivided attention on him. The feeling only worsened when he realized that whatever Reed was getting at, that it had something to do with him. _Crap…he's getting back at me for all of those pranks I pulled on him last week._ Johnny began fidgeting until he couldn't take it anymore.

"WHAT!"

"Johnny, I have decided to let you keep your play station…"

Johnny whooped gleefully but his joy was short lived.

"BUT on one condition only."

_Uh-oh, this can't be good. _

"You may keep it as long as…"

_Oh no, here it comes! Reed is going to get even. _

"…you become the new heat source."

_Phew! Was that all? Ha, what a laugh! Some punishment! I thought he was going to make me do something embarrassing or incredibly stupid like use my powers to…AW MAN! HE CAN'T BE SERIOUS! _

"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!"

"Oh, I am 100 serious. You heat up our meals using your power in exchange for your play station. If you can't decide we will have a vote."

Johnny looked absolutely scandalized. He couldn't believe his luck! One lousy prank on Reed and he was turning on him like this! _Figures. Play station Nazi!_

Reed then spoke up, "Concerning the retirement of the microwave in place of Johnny, all in favor say Aye!"

Three Aye's rang clear like a hammer through Johnny's mind.

"All opposed, say Nay!"

"NAY!" Johnny shouted a little too loudly.

"Sorry but the majority rules Johnny! Thank you for your newfound service."

Ben, Sue, and Reed were rolling with fits of laughter at Johnny's expense.

"This so isn't fair," Johnny pouted once more crossing his arms.

"Well, if you absolutely refuse then your play station can take the microwave's place."

"NO! Anything but that!" Johnny exclaimed horrified as the near reality of his play station's demise came crashing back down on him.

Reed raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Fine, I'll do it," Johnny groaned.

"Great! It's all settled then."

About a week later, everything in the Baxter building was up and running the way it used to. The autographed appliances sold wonderfully at the garage sale the day after Johnny agreed to Reed's ridiculous compromise, inevitably becoming 'the human microwave', as Pebbles took to calling him recently.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Victor Von Doom became a psycho and eventually revealed that he had in fact been exposed to the radioactive space cloud, despite the fact that he was behind the shields when the thing hit the space station.

Johnny was currently 'flamed on' and flying towards open water with a heat seeking missile on his tail that Doom had just fired at him! He was trying desperately to keep from panicking. His sister went after Reed once they learned from Ben that Doom had taken him. Doom had somehow powered the machine enough to turn Ben back to his normal, human form. But Victor had a dark motive behind helping Ben out. The end result was that Victor exposed himself to a full dosage of the cloud turning him into some kind of cyborg or metal man, as Ben described.

Johnny Storm managed to trick the missile into exploding into a burning barge that he ignited with a fireball and fell into the water. After reaching shore he noticed what appeared to be lightning filling the sky a few blocks away. He flamed on and flew towards, what he noticed with growing worry, a battle scene. Doom was about to strike Reed, Sue, and Ben with electricity. _Ben's back to normal!_ Johnny noticed a little pleased. Why he was happy that Ben was back to being 'The Thing' was beyond him. Maybe it was the sense that this is what and how they were supposed to be for the rest of their lives that ignited the feeling.

In the long run, the Fantastic Four defeated Dr. Doom after a tiring battle. Doom was now an unmoving metal statue after he was heated with Johnny's 'supernova' and then rapidly cooled with water.

Later that night…

The Fantastic Four were lounging in the living room watching the latest news reports concerning their battle with Doom.

Johnny shook his head sadly. _If only Doom had found something useful for his powers instead of running around killing everything that moved. Like power an electrical facility instead of turning into a destructive, murdering, madman. _

Johnny handed Sue, Reed, and Ben the popcorn that his heat provided them. After a week or so, heating up food with his power wasn't as stupid as he thought it would be. It became quite useful and this newfound service gave him a deeper sense of being needed. In fact, his new 'job' amused him as of late.

Yep, there definitely wasn't anything better than being a 'human microwave' during times like these, when he could just hang out with his best pals that he was slowly beginning to view as a family.

Well, there was _one _thing. The whole super hero biz was working out real well these days. The Fantastic Four decided to make it a career. And because they had, the crime rate was at an all time low. If any other crazed loons or washed up wackos like Doom ever surfaced, they would be ready for them.

The current News Reporter was replaced by an emergency broadcast announcing the arrival of a new villain that immediately began harassing innocent people. _Time to go to work!_

"FLAME ON!"

THE END


End file.
